A Friend to Gays and Antigay Dictators Alike

Granted this article is not balanced. But its author's basic point stands: Penn has some explaining to do. By the way, Marco from Mexico, when a country's supreme court judges perform a chant in chamber of "ooh ahh, Chavez no se va!" you may not have a dictatorship, but you certainly don't have a functioning democracy.

Fidel Castro stood up to the USA and did not sell Cuba out! The 50 year old embargo and the constant threat of covert USA terrorism aimed at "making the Cuban people scream" is the reason the Castros have had to be so tough! Most of us would just give up! My father knew Fidel, Raul and Ramon Castro back when they were teenagers in Oriente,Cuba and later at Havana U where Fidel was representing poor black Cubans in legal matters pro bono regularly!! Fidel is INCORRUPTIBLE !! The USA Media feeds people lies! Who helped the SouthAfricans end Apartheid? Cuba did!!! I think Sean Penn can see the truth better than most!

Really depressing to see so many commenters here justifying the authoritarian thugs who lead Cuba and Venezuela. Apparently, there are a lot of leftists who will fall in behind anyone who positions himself as against American imperialism. Still, this article is disappointing as well. I don't see any case made that Chavez is anti-gay. In fact, other things I've read seem to indicate he is actually at least mildly gay-friendly, whatever other criticisms one can and should make of his regime. The point stands, however, that Penn is a hypocrite, in that he is an apologist for major human rights violators while presenting himself as a champion of human rights for gays. Interesting sidenote here is that his "pal" and fellow Oscar contender Mickey Rourke is going around spreading rumors that Penn is highly homophobic in his personal life, possibly in his attempt to taint the awards voting. None of which will keep me from going to see "Milk" in a couple hours.

To Jason C: According to Merriam-Webster, a dictator is a ruler "holding complete autocratic control," or "one ruling absolutely and often oppressively." Whether the dictator is elected democratically or not is irrelevant. By these definitions Hugo Chávez is very much a dictator.

Repeat after me, The Advocate Magazine: HUGO CHAVEZ IS NOT A DICTATOR. He is the democratically elected ... let me say that again: democratically elected ... head of state. You may not like him. You may hate him. He may abuse his power. But if that made someone a dictator, then George W. Bush is a dictator. More basic fact-checking in your smears, please.

I wouldnt call this article misinformed as much as I would call it ill-informed, which is more than I can say for most of the comments posted here. Having resided in both Caracas and Havana, I have personally witnessed the abuse of the Homosexual community at the hands of state aparatchik ( though in cuba its, admitedly, more of a cultural thing than just state policy). Though even if we ignore the abuses against the homosexual community, there is still no excuse for grandstanding or in any way advocating the goverments of Chavez and Castro ( though the same can be said, to a much lesser extent, about the governments of Bolivia, Argentina and perhaps even Colombia). That any organization that even pretends to endorse freedom would honor a man that pays lip service to dictators is shameful.

PART 2 3. Also mentioned in this comments by Kyle, Mariela Castro (Raul's Daughter) is making a PRO-GAY rights campaign in Cuba. As we can se in the next two links from the BBC (news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7314845.stm ) and (/news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7441448.stm ). So something is being done there right now, and nothing is being done in other Latin American countries. It is really sad to see that we, the ones who commented on this article, are more informed than the “assistant editor at The New Republic". Is this possible? Or he is informed but likes to lie. Also it's sad to see this article is published here, this because it offends us, gays that agree with many anti neoliberalism reforms in Latin America. Is important to KEEP US INFORMED and informed the others, this because if not everybody would believe this. Because information gives us power. I’m glad to see that all the comments are against this PROPAGANDA, propaganda against something different, against many.

PART 1 I think many things have been said in all the comments. So first is really sad to see how at the time someone has a little bit of power they love to say many lies. Yes power as a writer in the most important gay magazine around the world. 1- Chaves a dictator? Please we have been listening to this again, and again and again. NO PROOF ladies and gentleman. On the contrary in the last referendum and last election Venezuela proved to be a real democratic country. PLEASE GET INFORMED. I really can’t see any dictatorship anywhere in Venezuela If you do please tell us where. 2- As Mimo mentioned in one comment, Sean Penn, (among others like Kevin Spacey, Danny Glover and Naomi Campbell) agree with the ideas Chavez have, to end neoliberalism, and have less poverty more equality. Please read more than NYT WP, and CNN there are many other sources. As Cleve Jones said in his article today “like him or not, Hugo Chavez is a democratically elected official.”

Editorial writers are entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts. This is pretty irresponsible journalism. You don't just go around calling people "dictators" and "anti-gay" without any facts to back it up. That's the very propaganda that garners public sympathy for wars of aggression, which ultimately drains your treasury so your country can say when it's broke that it just doesn't have the money for "non-essential" programs like the arts and things that open up people's minds. Perhaps Kirchick will read these comments and apologize for sounding like Jackson Diehl.

Why should Sean Penn do such a thing? As stand up for causes so unpopular with the US tycoons and corrupt politicians? Ever thought that he could care?